Staff Biographies
Sharon Downs, M.S., CT
Director
Sharon Downs is the Director for the DRC, and has served UALR and the department since 1999. She received her Master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling, and her BA in Interpreting. Sharon’s passions include diversity and inclusion education, and doing presentations for such conferences as the International Technology and Persons with Disabilities, RID, and the Association on Higher Education and Disability. She currently serves on the Governor’s Commission on People with Disabilities.
Melanie Thornton, M.A.
Associate Director
Melanie serves the Disability Resource Center as the Associate Director. She came to UALR in 2000 and served for 9 years as the Director of Project PACE, a grant-funded program of the Disability Resource Center. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Hendrix College and her Master’s from Gallaudet University. Professional interests include reframing disability, universal design, web accessibility, and diversity.
Betsy Domingue, B.A., CI/CT
Interpreter & Transcriber Coordinator
Betsy is currently responsible for providing and coordinating interpreting and transcription services for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. She obtained her Associate Degree in the Interpreter Training Program at Eastfield College, Mesquite, TX in 1993. She has since been interpreting primarily in the educational setting. She has national certification and has earned her B.A. from the Interpreter Education Program at UALR.
Katie Becker, B.A., NAD V
Staff Interpreter
Katie’s main responsibility is to provide interpreting services for the campus community. She obtained her Associate Degree from the Interpreter Training Program here at UALR in 1986. Since that time, she has interpreted in a variety of settings with her most recent appointment at the University of Arkansas’ Research and Training Center for Persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. She has national certification and earned a B.A. from the Interpreter Education Program at UALR.
Justin Hicks
Access Technician/Office Manager, DRC Office
Justin is the first person most people contacting DRC will speak with. He provides information, listens to concerns, and supports students in their goal of achieving an education. In addition, he manages the DRC budget records; oversees the production of alternate formats such as braille, large print, and audio tape; maintains the student database; and provides a myriad of other services. Justin was a Veterans Administration Work Study in DRC before becoming the full-time Access Technician/Office Manager.
Alvin-Bailon Zafe Haas, B.A., NIC
Interpreter / Transcriber
Alvin-Bailon Zafe Haas is the DRC’s newest interpreter, beginning August 2009. He earned his B.A. in interpreting from the Interpreter Education Program here at UALR. Currently, Alvin is piloting a new transcription method for UALR using voice recognition technology. He interprets extensively for the Deaf and Deaf-Blind communities of Arkansas. He is became nationally certified in interpreting in 2011, serves on UALR Staff Senate, and aspires to complete doctoral work in language acquisition and interpreting pedagogy.
Connie Wordlaw, MA, CRC
Access Consultant
Connie Wordlaw began full-time as Access Consultant in March 2011. She performed both her practicum and internship at this office. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies and her Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from UALR. Connie is a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor, who also spent a number of years in the health care industry prior to coming to the DRC.